Best Flooring Options for Homes With Pets
When you’re choosing new flooring, it’s important to consider your pets. Pet owners often seek specific pet-safe features, such as resistance to scratches and accidents, easy cleaning and maintenance, and a texture that prevents slipping.
Depending on the needs of your pets and family, there are many options for customizing floors for durability, longevity and style, keeping you and your pets comfortable. Here are some of the best flooring options for homes with pets;
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is one of the best flooring choices for homes with pets.
It’s waterproof, so spills and accidents won’t damage the floor’s integrity. Vinyl flooring features a protective wear layer, which keeps the decorative film from scratching, staining, scuffing, or fading.
It’s also a great choice for homeowners who love the look of hardwood; hardwood isn’t always a practical choice for homes with pets because (depending on the wood’s species) it’s more susceptible to staining, water damage, and scratching.
Vinyl flooring is also pretty low-maintenance, and can be wet-mopped whenever needed, which is great if you have a dog who loves to roll around in the mud before coming inside, or a puppy who’s still “potty-training.”
Luxury vinyl and sheet vinyl will also have a little more “give” than some other hard surfaces, making it a more comfortable surface for snoozing. Even so, we recommend adding area rugs or dog beds for comfort.
Tile Flooring
Tiles are another of the best flooring options for homes with pets. Why? It’s durable and looks good for years! This means it can stand against all the things our furry friends put it through. Plus, it’s easy to clean and hard to scratch, which is ideal for pet owners.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles look classic and last a long time. They resist scratches, stains, and water, meaning we worry less about our pets playing inside. Plus, cleaning is easy with these materials.
Tile floors can sometimes be slippery, which can be a concern for older pets. But don’t worry, you can choose tiles with extra grip for safety. As well, placing rugs or pet beds in busy areas helps pets walk safely across the tile.
So, tile is among the best flooring options for homes with pets. It blends style with easy up-keep, making our home welcoming for everyone. The secret is to pick the right tile for both looks and function.
Laminate Flooring
If scratching from dog and cat claws is a major concern for you, laminate flooring is a great choice. Laminate offers excellent scratch resistance thanks to its wear layer, and its high-density fiberboard (HDF) core offers added stability and durability. Like vinyl, laminate also offers the look of hardwood many homeowners desire.
While laminate isn’t waterproof, there are some water-resistant options. As long as spills and accidents are taken care of quickly, it shouldn’t damage the integrity of your floors. And because of laminate’s protective wear layer, your floors won’t stain when the inevitable spill or accident happens.
One downside to laminate is that it can be a bit slippery for your four-legged friends.
This can be a problem if you have a larger or older dog, since they can be more susceptible to joint problems or hip dysplasia. Opt for laminate with more texture and embossing over high-gloss or high-sheen finishes, and add area rugs featuring some sort of pet-protection treatment.
Bamboo Flooring
Is bamboo flooring good for dogs? Absolutely.
Harder than most traditional hardwoods, bamboo flooring stands up well to pet wear and tear. It’s less likely to be scratched or scuffed by your pet’s nails, and depending on whether the planks are solid or engineered, it can be refinished – like hardwood.
It’s also warmer underfoot than something like laminate, which your pets will appreciate.
Cork Flooring
Another comfortable and resilient hard surface option, cork flooring can be a good choice for homes with pets, too. It’s warm and soft underfoot – it retains heat and also offers sound mitigating properties, which is great if you have big dogs that love to lumber around the house.
Cork is also an antimicrobial – meaning it won’t allow mold or other allergens to grow on the surface.
While cork is pretty durable, it does require some maintenance to make sure it doesn’t get too scratched up. While scratch-resistant, it is not scratch-proof, and its softness can make it a little more prone to scratching than, say, bamboo.
No matter what type of flooring you choose, it’s important to keep up with maintenance – of both your floors and your pets. Here’s what we recommend to keep your floors looking great:
- Keep your pet’s nails trimmed to minimize scratching hard surfaces or snagging on carpets or area rugs.
- Accidents happen – be sure to wipe up and clean accidents as soon as you find them. Consider putting down training pads, too, especially if you have a new puppy.
- Put mats under all food and water bowls to keep spilled water from damaging the floor.
- Put mats at all entrances to the home to keep your pets from tracking in dirt or debris.
- Vacuum at least once a week – and even more frequently if you have carpet.
These are some but a few of the best flooring options for homes with pets. Contact us for any enquires or flooring services that you may need.
